Große Aue

The Große Aue (German for "Great Meadow" or "Great Floodplain") is a river in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Weser.

The Große Aue rises in the Wiehen Hills, near Rödinghausen. It flows generally north through the districts of Herford, Minden-Lübbecke, and Nienburg. The river passes through the towns of Bünde, Kirchlengern, Löhne, Bad Oeynhausen, Petershagen, and Liebenau before joining the Weser near Binnen.

The river's course has been significantly straightened and regulated over the centuries for agricultural and drainage purposes. While this has facilitated land use, it has also led to ecological consequences such as reduced biodiversity and increased flood risk in certain areas. Efforts are being made in some sections to renaturalize parts of the river and its floodplain.

The Große Aue is an important part of the Weser river system and plays a role in the drainage of the surrounding agricultural landscape. The river's name reflects the extensive meadows and floodplains that historically characterized its valley.